Session 10- depression Flashcards
risk factors for depression
being female
being elderly
having a chronic mental or physical condition
being from a low socio economic background
alcohol/substance abuse
childhood trauma/abuse
stress/major life changes- i.e. divorce, losing job, financial problems, death of a close one
insomnia/sleep disorders
symptoms for depression
persistent sad and anxious feelings ANHEDONIA- not enjoying activities which you used to enjoy, including sex withdrawing difficulty sleeping difficulty concentrating fatigue loss of appetite irritable feelings of hopelessness/guilt thoughts of suicide
what criteria is used to diagnose depression?
DSM-IV diagnosis and statistical manual of mental disorders (number 4)
key symptoms: anhedonia, persistent low mood
associated symptoms: fatigue, disrupted sleep, change in appetite/weight (normal loss of), feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or suicidal thoughts
what criteria is used in clinic, based on the DSM- IV to help assess depression?
PHQ9- patient health questionnaire, 9 questions which diagnose and assess the severity of the current episode of depression
can be done online/at home
what questionnaire is used to help diagnose anxiety disorders?
GAD7- generalised anxiety disorder, 7 questions, answer based on how often the 7 symptoms are present
what is used in the non-pharmacological treatment of depression
'wait and see' exercise self- help groups CBT!!!!!! (computerised or group) counselling interpersonal therapy psychotherapy
what is used in the pharmacological treatment of depression
SSRI- selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors- increase the amount of serotonin in the synapses. i.e fluoxetine
tricyclic antidepressants- increase the amount of serotonin and noradreneline in the brain i.e amitryptiline
SNRI- serotonin - noradreneline reuptake inhibitors i.e venlaflaxine
what is important to say to anyone starting an antidepressant?
they may take up to 2 months to start working - so shouldn’t stop taking them even if they don’t think they are working
should continue taking them for at least 4 months
what is a common side effect of both SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants?
dry mouth
what medical devices have been used to treat depression?
ECT- electroconvulsive therapy
DBS- deep brain stimulation
what is st johns wart?
Hypericum Perforatum
a herbal remedy commonly thought to help treat mental health problems - the compound has antidepressant properties by increasing activity of serotonin and noradrenaline its thought
What are possible problems with taking St John’s wort
not prescription- so can be bought by anyone and often doctor may not know about it
which is bad as it has many other drug interactions such as with the birth control pill, warfarin, digoxin, cyclosporin- may reduce their effectiveness
also can cause serotonin syndrome if too much is taken
even psychosis in some patients
